In the automotive accessory field, cargo nets are often provided as optional equipment to secure light weight objects in the cargo area of the vehicle. The net attaches to anchors that are already provided in the floor, seat backs, walls, etc., trunk, or truck bed of the vehicle or slots later added. For example, in the 1996 model year Ford Taurus station wagon, the cargo net is constructed of a open net of elastic knitted cord in a rectangular pattern. An elastic endless bungi-type cord covered with a tubular fabric material strung around the perimeter of the net and through non-elastic woven tunnels secured at opposite longitudinal ends of the net. The bungi cord is strung through four plastic molded hooks provided one in each of the four corners and these hooks are removably inserted under a cross bar of an anchoring fixture mounted flush on the floor of the vehicle. The construction of this net, due to the specially configured plastic molded fasteners is relatively expensive, as is the construction and installation of the anchor fixtures in the vehicle. This net hook-up also has limited capability for swinging or pivoting to accommodate various support angles at which the hanger straps or draw cords may need to extend to properly restrain the cargo net in use. Breakage of the fastener hook can therefore occur even if non-excessive stress is applied at the wrong anchoring angle.
It has been proposed as an improvement upon such hook-type fastening systems for cargo nets and the like to provide a large bead fastened in some way to the end of the cargo strap which would cooperate with a keyhole-slot type anchoring structure provided in a support wall of the vehicle. Attachment and removal of the fastener would be by insertion of the bead through the large area opening of the keyhole-slot and then moving the bead along the backside of the slot so that it is restrained by the narrow portion of the slot, with the strap extending through the narrow portion of the slot to its attachment to the cargo holder. Such a bead and slot attachment system offers simplicity in construction of the bead, pivotal load bearing contact if the bead has a surface of revolution to bear against the support wall of the slot, as well as simplifying and strengthening the type of anchoring structure needed to cooperate with the bead and strap. However, attaching the bead to the strap poses a problem particularly if the bead is to be removable. Knotting of the bead may be complicated and time consuming, and the knot may loosen in use. Moreover, the cargo holder strap or cord where it is attached to the bead may prematurely wear and rupture due to abrasion and frictional wear with the edges of the retaining slot in the wall support structure in use due to vibration and movement of the cargo holder with vehicle motion.
Other prior proposals for attaching the anchor bead to the cargo strap have proven unsuccessful for various reasons. One such proposal provides generally parallel passages through an anchor bead with an "island" provided in between the passages. A single strand of the strap or tension element is strung or threaded through one of the passageways, and then the leading end is turned back and threaded in the opposite direction through the adjacent passageway until it exits from the second passageway. The exited end is used to tie a knot with the adjacent run of the strand. Knotting in this fashion provides less than reliable retention. Moreover, such an anchoring bead structure does not accommodate a strap with a pre-made loop or where a straight run of the strap is to be bent into a loop for feeding into to the anchoring bead.
It has also been proposed to make such a twin passage/center island type bead with an openable cover hinged to swing shut over the passageway on a living hinge with a snap type retention so that a pre-made loop can be dropped into the uncovered passageways and then the cover closed and snapped shut to retain the bead of the loop. However, this is a relatively complicated structure to design into a mold and therefore more costly to manufacture. In addition, separation forces exerted on the two runs where they enter such an arrangement can exert an opening force resulting in unlatching and detachment of such a bead from the cord or strap.